Control apparatus



C. C. WHITTAKER.- CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2 1916 1,347,880.

Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 1 2/, f I 37 I,

ATTORNEY C. C. WHITTAKER. CONTROL APPARATUS.

0 2. 97. IT an M Vuw mm Jw d2 m m x a P a 1 m 2 a E D D u H J N 3 o .H A c u DI DI A 0 8 8 O, 7 4 00 I 1 INVENTOR Char/es C k fiiffaker M [ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

a plurality of plates or electrodes 4; and

barrier members 5 of insulating 'material UNITED 7 PATENT OFFICE, j

CHARLES c. WI-II'TTJAKEROF wimzn fsnfim, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNCYR; T0 WEST- INGHOUSEELECTRIC AND SYLVANIA. V

T all whom "it may concern/:-

Be itknown that 1', CHARLES C. WHIT- TAKER, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of VVilkinsburg, 11113118601111? of.

Allegheny and State of' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to control apparatus and especially to certain structural features of liquid rheost'ats andthelike. a

In a .copending application of 1-1., Hall, Serial No. 101,960, filed June 6, 1916, andassigned tot-lie lvestinghouse Electric &'h*1anu facturing- Company, is shown anddescribed an inlet weir of general tubular form for liquid rheostats that is adaptedto receive liquid at one end and discharge it through a side opening, the liquid following: a spiral path of admittance to the rheostat proper.

It is the object of my present invention to improve certain structural features of".

broken away for cleariiess, of aliquid-rheov stat tank embodying my inlet weir; Fig; 2 is a sectional view'takenon the line I I-II of Fig. 1; and Fig: 3 is a simplified perspective View of a modification of my in vention.

Referring to Fig. land Fig. 2 of the drawing, the. structure shown comprises a rectangular liquidrheostat tank- 1 of any suitable material having an inlet pipe 2 communicating with the tank near one lower 7 corner thereof, as shown in Fig. 2'; an inlet Weir 3 for receiving liquid from the pipe 2 andof a novel construction to be described;

that aresei' erally positioned substantially at right angles to the longitudinal diinension of the inlet weir 3; and a pluralityof Specification 0f Letters ra'tent. I p'at n g y 7, Application file'd December 2 1918' SriaI No. 134,762.

the accomp anying. drawings,

"AivUFAcrunnve COMPA Y, A CORPORATION or PENN CONTROL APPARATUS,

dischargeopenings 6 that are located at the opposite end of the tank from the inlet.

Weir 3.

The tank member 1, electrodes 4;, insulating barriers. 5 and discharge openings 6 constitute no part of my present invention,

, except in so far as they perform'a'necessai-y functionin connection therewith, and, consequently, no detailed description thereof is believed to be necessary. The recited parts are fully. set forth and claimed in copeiiding applications of A. J; Hall, 'Serial Nos. 134,304 and 188,004, filed Dec. 1, 1916, and Dec.'20, 1916, respectively, and in another copending application of A. J. Hall and C. C. Whittaker, Serial No. 136,033, filed "Dec. 9, 1916, all assigned to the lVestinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, towhich reference may be made for further description.

The preferred general arrangement of parts of the liquid i'lieostat may be briefly set fortlias follows: Liquid enters through the pipe 2 from any suitable continuouscirculation systenito the inlet weir 3, which 7 1 extends across the entire width of the tank invention: is to near one lower corner thereof. The liquid is then uniformly distributed to the tank, in a manner to be more fully described, and flows substantially parallel to the electrodes ,4: toward thedischarge openings 6, the

height of the liquid being means of suitable tubular shown) which are moved up and down governed by within the openings 6, in accordance with prior practice.

My inlet weir 8 comprises a unitary removable structure of a number of plates or sheet members which are preferably galvaniz'ed or similarly; treated to resist rust.

The main body memberhas a horizontal top'su'rface 10 of approximately one-half the width of the tubular portion of the weir, a downwardly-inclined face 11 and, finally,

valves 1 (not a vertically-positioned member 12, the three surfaces 10-11 and 12 thus furnishing a suitable means for smoothly conducting the incoming liquid to the tank propen- 'A vertical plate 13 is secured to a flange of the horizontal part 10 bymeans of a plurality of ri vetsl h or otherwise, and is provided with a horizontal shelf member 15 that is spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom of the tank and gradually tapers in width from the inlet end 17 to the closed farther end 18.

Thus, a slot or bottom opening 16, that gradually increases in width from the inlet end of the weir toward the other end, is formed. I

A plurality of transversely-extending plates 19 are spaced within the weir along the slot 16 and of a length that gradually increases as the size of the slot increases, for a purpose to be set forth.

A further set of plate members 20 are spaced along the outer face of the vertical plate 13 in substantial alinement with the respective plates 19 and severally have their outer edges abutting against one end-wall of the rheostat tank 1. A plurality of base members, in the form oflongitudinally-extending strips 21, are provided for the purpose of allowing the weir to rest upon the bottom surface of the tank.

The spacing of the inner transverselyextending plates 19 with respect to the slot 16 and the shelf is such that the length of the plates varies substantially inversely with the size of the shelf, thereby tending to produce a substantially uniform el'llux of liquid throughout the width of the tank, as hereinafter more fully explained. The plates 19 are suitably, flanged and secured to the vertical plate member 13 by means of rivets 22, for example, and the free ends of the plates 19 are bent against the direction of the incoming fluid to smoothly divide the stream into portions and divert such portions into the pockets between successive plates 19 with a minimum degree ofeddies and. resistance to the movement of the remaining part of the stream.

The vertical]y-extendingplates 20 are suitably flanged and secured, by means of rivets 24-, to the plate member 13, the lower corners of the plates 20 being cut away to allow a certain degree of diffusion of the various pockets of water during the spiral passage from the inside ofzthe weir tank proper.

The base members or strips 21 may convenient be integrally related. to verticallyextending end members 25 which are socured to the respective end. plates of the series of transvcrselyextending plates 19 and 29, respectively. by means of a plurality of rivets 26 and 27. bus, the base mem-' bers also serve to brace the transverselyeiztendin g plates and lend further rigidity to the structure.

Assuming th the inlet weir 3 is installed in one lower corner of the rheostat tank 1 in general alinement with the inlet pipe 2, the operation of the weir to produce a substantially uniform elfiux of liquid throughout the width of the tank maybe set forth to the as follows: The incoming liquid as an initially high velocity head by reason of its discharge from the customary pump, for example, and, therefore, the static head of the liquid is substantially overcome at first, but gradually increases in effective value, as the velocity head decreases during the travel of the liquid toward the closed end of the inlet weir by reason of the interception or slicing off of portions of the stream by the successive transversely extending plates 19. The function of the horizontally tapered plate member or shelf 15 is to hold up a gradually decreasing portion of the incomingstream and thus prevent itfrom immediately dropping to the bottom of the tank.

The successive plates 19, by intercepting the stream gradually nearer to its outer edge, that is, the edge nearest the plate 13, turn the intercepted portions at substantially right angles to the main stream direction and thus form pockets of liquid of gradually increasing size which drop through the corresponding, portions of the slot 16 to the bottom of the tank. Since the quantity of liquid discharged in a unit of time is equal to the product of the area of the orifice multiplied by the unit velocity of the stream, in accordance with the wellknown formula it follows that the trapezoidal blocks of liquid in the various pockets between the successive plates 19 should increase in size directly with the decrease of the velocity head of the incoming main stream, or, stated another way, the area of the slot 16 gradually increases in size as the total staticand kinetic pressures of the incoming stream that tend to expel the liquid from the weir gradually decrease, and thus the present arrangement of parts accomplishes the desired result ofsubstantially equal elllux of liquid across'the entire tank.

lVhen the liquid has dropped through the slot 16 to the bottom of the tank. it rises between the successive pairs of outer transversely extending plates 20, a certain amount of equalizing diffusion being per mitted by reason of the cutting: a way of the lower corners of the plates 20, and. lilu'ls flows over the top surfaces 10 and 11 of the weir structure substantially at riefht angles to the direction of the main inlet stream. that is to say, substantially paralle to the direction of the electrodes 4, indicated by the arrows.

I have thus provided a compact unitary inlet-weir structure for insuriuiz a substantially uniform eillux of liquid throughout the width of a rheqstat tank, the distribution of liquid being accomplished in such ill] manner that the" formation of I harmful eddies issubstantially' obviated.

It will be a preciated that, in case a cyilindrical" inlet wei-r'is employed, an equal spacing of the interior baffle-plates 19 and equal successive increases 1n the size thereof Will not produce an equal efilu x of liquid throughout the tank width, by reason of the sibly -not"q'uite as effectively as the pre-' viously described structure.

The device illustrated" in Fig. 3comprises a tubular pipe or-conduit 30 which extends from the inlet pipe 2- across the en'tire width of the rheostat tank 1 and is provided with a side opening or slot 31 that gradually decreases in. size from the inlet end of the pipe 30 to the closed end thereof.

A downwardlyinclined apron member 32 extends from the top of the pipe 30 to the bottom of the rheostat tank to permit of a non-splashing entrance of liquid to the tank proper.

A plur ality of bafie-plates or barriers 33 are spaced suitable distances apart, along the outer sides of-the pipe 30 near the tapered slot 31, thereby serving to effect the upward. movement of successive pockets of liquid, after they have been discharged from the tapered slot, over'the apron member 32 tothe rheostat'tank, in substantially parallel paths at right; angles to the direction of the main incoming stream, thus serving a purpose similar to that set forth in connection with the previously-described plates 20. p a

In the present instance, the slot 31 is tapered in the opposite direction from the slot 16 of Figs'l and 2, since no inner'bafileplates 19 are provided to materially de crease the velocityhead of the incoming liquid and successively intercept portions thereof. In the structure of Fig. 3, the incoming liquid rapidly flows toward the.

closed end of the pipe 30 where the stream tends to C( )DCQIItILt-G, thereby increasing the available static head, which static head gradually decreases as the inlet end of the pipe is approached. Consequently, only a relatively narrow opening is necessary near the closed end of the pipe in order to effect the outflow of a quantity of liquid that is equal to the quantity discharged from the inlet end of the pipe through the largest portion of the slot. Thedimensions of the slot are, of course, designed to provide a discharge opening that varies along the pipe substantially inversely with the variation otthe static head,- whereby substanti'ally equal volumes ofliquid are discharged between the successive pairs of battle-plates 33 over the apron 32 to the rheostat proper.

It will be understood that, in place of the tapered slot 31, a single row or a number,

of rows of holes that gradually decrease in diameter maybe drilled along the pipe 30.

I do not wish to be restricted to the speci-fic structural details or arrangement of parts herein set forth, as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 1 desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indi- I c'ated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A Weir for liquid rheostats having longitudinally extending liquid-ejecting means of gradual'ly'varying size.

2. A weir for liquid rheostats having a longitudinally-extending slot of a width that gradually decreases from one end of longitudinally located liquid distributing means of gradually varying size and a plurality of transversely-extending means for gluccessively partially intercepting the liquid 6. A weir for. liquid rheostats having longitudinally located liquid distributing means of gradually varying size and a plurality of transversely extending plates that gradually vary in size with the liquid-dis tributing means.

7. A weir forliquid rheostats having a longitudinally-extending slot'of a width that gradually decreases from one end of the weir to the other, and a pluralityof transversely-extending plates for effecting a substantially equal efilux of liquid throughoutthe length of said slot. 7 r

8. A weir for liquid rheostats having a side opening of lesser size near the liquidinlet end than near the other 'end of the weir, and a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced along said slot and of a size that varies substantially directly with the size of the slot, whereby a substantially equal efliux of liquid obtains throughout the length of said slot.

9. A liquid-rheostat weir of general tubular form adapted to receive liquid at one end and discharge ltthrough aside opening of a width that gradually increases from the inlet end to the other end .of the weir, a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced within the weir along said slot, and a plurality of other plates spaced along one outer side of the weir.

10. A liquid-rheostat weir of general tubular form adapted to receive liquid at one end and discharge it through a bottom open ing of a width that gradually increases from the inlet end to the other end of the weir, a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced within the weir along said slot, and a plurality of other plates spaced along the opposite outer side of the Weir in substantial alinement with the respective inner plates.

. 11. A liquid-rheostat weir of general tubular form adapted to receive liquid at one end and discharge-it through a bottom opening of a width that gradually increases from the inlet end to the other end of the weir, a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced within the weir along said slot and of a size that varies substantially directly I with the size of the slot, and a plurality of other practically identical plates spaced along the opposite outer side of the weir in substantial alinement with the respective inner plates.

12. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrode-containing tank, of an inlet pipe communicating with the tank near one lower corner thereof, and a weir of general tubular form extending from said pipe across the tank and having a bottom surface spaced a predetermined distance above the tank bottom and provided with a slot that gradually increases in size from said pipe to the other side of the tank.

13. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrodecontaining tank, of an inlet pipe communicating with the tank near one lower corner thereof, and a weir of general tubular form extending from said pipe across the tank and having a bottom surface spaced a predetermined distance above the tank bottom and provided with a slot that gradually increases in size from said pipe to the other side of the tank,

and a plurality of transversely-extendingplates spaced along one side of the weir and severally abutting against one side of the tank. 7

14. In a liquid"rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrode-containing tank, of an inlet pipe communicating with the tank near one lower corner thereof, and a weir of general tubular form extending from said pipe across the tank and having a bottom surface spaced a predetermined distance above the tank bottom and provided with a slot that gradually increases in size from said pipe to the other side of the tank, a plurality of transverselyextending plates spaced within the weir along said slot, and a plurality of other plates spaced along the opposite outer side of the weir in substantial alinement with the respective inner plates and severally abutting against one side of the tank.

15. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrodecontaining tank, of an inlet pipe communicating with the tank near one lower corner thereof, and a weir of general tubular form extending from said pipe across the tank and having a bottom surface spaced a predetermined distance above the tank bottom and provided with a slot that gradually increases in size from said pipe to the other side of the tank, and a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced along one side of the weir and. severally abutting against one side of the tank, and base members resting on the bottom of the tank.

16. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrode containing tank, of an inlet pipe communicatingwith the tank near one lower corner thereof, and a weir of general tubular form extending from said pipe across the tank and having a bottom surface spaced a predetermined distance above the tank bottom and pr0- vided with a slot that gradually increases in size from said pipe to the other side of the tank, a plurality of transversely-extending plates spaced within the weir along said slot, a plurality of other plates spaced along the opposite outer side of the weir in substantial alinement with the respective inner plates and severally abutting against one side of the tank, and a plurality of spaced longitudinally-extending base members resting on the bottom of the tank.

17'. A weir for liquid rheostats having a longitudinally-extending slot of a width that gradually decreases from one end of the weir to the other, and a plurality of external plates for directing successive portions of the liquid flow at substantially right angles to the direction of the incoming stream.

18. A weir for liquid rheostats having an inlet at one end, means for gradually varying the velocity head of the liquid in accordance with the distance from the inlet end, and lateral-discharge means for oppositely varying the time-volume of liquid to maintain a substantially constant liquid delivery throughout the length of the weir.

19. A weir for liquid rheostats having an inlet at one end and a plurality of members for intercepting successively increasing volumes of incoming liquid and for simultaneously reducing the velocity head of the liquid.

20. A liquid-rheostat weir of general tubular form adapted to receive liquid at one end, and means for materially changing the direction, and for simultaneously gradually With the distance from the inlet end and 10 reducing the velocity head, of the liquid. i means for oppositely varying the time- 21. In a liquid rheostat, the combination volumeof discharged liquid to maintain a with an electrode-containing tank, of an insubstantially constant liquid delivery to the let pipe communicating With the tank, and a tank throughout the Width thereof. Weir of general tubular form extending In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 from said pipe across the tank and provided subscribed my name this 24th day of Nov. with means for gradually reducing the 1916.

velocity head of the liquid in accordance CHARLES C. WHITTAKER. 

